Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s9.8

c12.s9.8

Jainism and Buddhism declared as we have seen that womanhood was no bar to salvation. We hear of a large number of women in Jain texts who distinguished themselves as teachers and preachers.¹⁶ Ajja Candanā is the supreme example of superiority of women, who was the first disciple of Mahāvīra and under whom a large number of nuns practised the rules of right conduct and attained salvation.¹⁷ Then we hear of Jayantī, the sister of king Sayāṇiya of Kosambī, who abandoned her royal robe and became a devout nun.¹⁸